Impromptu

For other uses, see Impromptu (disambiguation)}}}.

An impromptu (meaning something like "offhand") is a free-form musical composition with the character of an improvisation, usually for a solo instrument, such as piano.

The first recorded use of the term impromptu in this sense occurred in 1817, in the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung, an idea of the publisher to describe a piano piece by Vořišek.

It didn't take long before the first generation of Romantic composers took up the idea:

Schubert published two sets of four Impromptus. After his death 3 more unnamed piano compositions (Klavierstücke) were sometimes named Impromptus.
Chopin composed 3 Impromptus, plus the Fantaisie-Impromptu.

The impromptu genre remained popular all throughout the 19th century.

In the 20th century there are fewer examples of composers naming their compositions "Impromptu", e.g.:

Donald Martino composing Fantasies and Impromptu in 1980.
One of Queen's compositions, performed at Wembley Stadium in 1986 is named Impromptu.

References

New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians

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